Quote Originally Posted by Loupey
I dunno. Medium format have lost a LOT of ground during the last several years. During my visit yesterday to my local shop, I saw yet another complete Hassy system (about 4 bodies and 7 lenses) being traded in at auction-level prices. I've seen this scenario over and over. It's hard for me to imagine these previous MF owners coming back to it - they obviously saw something persuasive about the DSLRs and they would have to have overwhelmingly better reasons to switch back to digital-MF. Also, I do modeling on the side and in the course of the last 3 years, every photographer except one has used exclusively DSLR's. And even that one photographer griped about using his Hassy instead of his digital; but that was what his customer wanted.

Don't get me wrong. I have a medium format system. Would love to get a digital back if it didn't cost me $10,000. But demand hasn't been sufficient to bring new products to the medium format lineup. I don't think it ever will. Unfortunately, medium format is like the Betamax (vs. VHS) of the past - better yes, but lack of demand killed it.

As for smalller sensors. Nikon is 1.5 and Canon is 1.6 (APS-C) and 1.3 (APS-H). Doesn't sound like a standard to me yet. With all the primary and secondary manufacturers still making 35mm lenses, I still think that Nikon and Canon will eventually gravitate to the full frame sensor. How long before that standard is reached is my question. Buying the 30D or equivalent is a short term answer for those who do not want to wait until that happens. Then again, with digital isn't everything "short term" anyway ?
I understand what you're saying about medium format. I have a Hasselblad but the results I get from the APS-C sensor in the D200 are so good and I have so much control over it in software that I'm switching over the the D200 for my studio work (as a humble amateur).

But about the 24x36 "standard" - it certainly was a standard in the days of film when you had to get the thing processed by a lab. There were two sorts of cameras - point & shoots and SLR's. Serious users used SLR's.

But now - no lab so the sensor size is only important for those who have a DSLR with several lenses and for outright performance.

- A lot of my friends who used to have SLR's have gone over to digital point and shoot or bridge cameras because they're smaller and lighter than their SLR and yet give good results
- the vast majority of amateurs still using a DSLR (including me) and many professionals are finding that the APS-C sensor is more than adequate for their needs and is bringing some exciting new possibilities (my 18-200 VR is on order..)

I think that cameras with larger sensors will still be available but they will be niche products for specialists, more expensive than the APS-C equivalent. 24x36 will no longer be the "standard". But who cares? You pay your money and you take your choice..

Charles